Anecoop convinces supermarkets to place all products together in one fridge

"We put the fresh cut and processed range concepts aside to talk about the category of solutions for the consumer, which aim to facilitate the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables," explains Carlota Pardo, head of communications at Anecoop.

At Fruit Attraction, Anecoop launched 6 different branded solution categories under ¿Ysi?, a concept coined by themselves as "Express Slow Food", opposite to Fast Food, with healthy food just like the one cooked at home. With this, consumers have the chance to eat "slow food", but adapted to modern lifestyles; that is, "Express".

On the left, Eva Cano, of the marketing department of the cooperative Rural Sant Vicent Ferrer, of Benaguasil. On the right, Carlota Pardo, head of communications at Anecoop.

The 6 lines of solutions are:

Soups and creams: cream of vegetables, pumpkin, courgette and lentils.

Courgette and carrot sticks with a yoghurt sauce.

Spreads, ideal for dipping with bread or carrot sticks or to spread on bread: cauliflower with Piquillo peppers and chia seeds, roasted aubergine with coriander and flax, courgette with basil and flax, broccoli with calabash, pineapple hummus. With a 21 day shelf life.

Desserts: Papaya and orange mousse and chocolate cream with avocado, sugar-free cocoa powder and muscatel grape juice as a sweetener.

"They contain no colouring agents, preservatives or any kind of additive; they are low in salt, have no added sugars, no gluten and no lactose and are suitable for vegan diets and for any type of consumer," points out Carlota Pardo. "We are giving consumers the opportunity to create a menu with first and second courses and a dessert, saving money and time, and without the need to go to a restaurant, because these products can be consumed anywhere," she continues.

Anecoop has managed to convince Spanish supermarkets to put all these products together in one shelf. "We realised that consumers found products like these 'scattered' across the supermarket; the sauces in one place, smoothies somewhere else, etc. We asked for a single fridge to containall solutions, so that the consumer does not have to wander around the store."

Anecoop has already signed a contract with Consum, Carrefour and Eroski. The second grade cooperative has already been selling a line of fresh cut fruit for years, although now, for the ¿Ysi?, brand, they have formed a partnership with the participation of Anecoop's partner cooperative, Rural Sant Vicent Ferrer, of Benaguasil. According to Carlota Pardo, "with this project, we are addressing the issue of food waste, since we make use of 'ugly' fruits and vegetables that cannot be sold in the fresh market. Moreover, we supply portions of the right size, so that there are no leftovers."

¿Ysi? (What if? in Spanish) invites and challenges consumers to try something new and healthy. "What if we eat fruit? What if we try new flavours?" At the same time, it sounds like the English word 'easy', "explains Carlota Pardo.

"Although the biggest consumers of fruit and vegetables in Spain are usually the oldest, we see that independent young people or single-family homes are beginning to eat more fruit and vegetables, so I see a lot of potential in this consumer profile," concludes Carlota Pardo.